The End
The subject of the end is a very sensitive matter, and so best dealt with here on a separate page that will only be found by those who are really want to look into it.
“The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy.” — Rev 19v10.
We are called to take up our cross and follow him.
The Temple
Jesus said he would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days. He was talking about his own death and resurrection. Now we who believe are in Christ, and we share in his sufferings.
Consider what it means to be in Christ, and He in us:
We are the body of Christ, the holy place where his Spirit dwells.
We are the temple of God and called, the priests of God. .
We are his family and his household.
We are also the city of God. We are the new Jerusalem.
We are the Israel of God. We are God’s nation, and his Kingdom is within us.
“For it is time for judgement to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” — I Peter 4v17.
The disciples correctly understood that the destruction of the temple meant the end of the world, but the destruction of symbolic temples were only symbolic pictures of the end.
For the early church, the destruction of the Jewish temple by the Romans in 70 AD became the great scattering event that marked the end of their testimony in Israel, and the end of Israel as a nation. But it served more as a scattering of seed that would bring in a harvest later from among all the nations.
(Scattering and gathering is a theme that relates to death and resurrection.)
Now we are waiting for the third temple to be built, and that temple can be viewed the church when we think corporately, but it also relates to the individual, because our own bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and we will all have a personal end time.
The third temple — if it applies to the wider body of Christ, will only be completed when the great commission is accomplished, and then when the antichrist appears the great tribulation will occur.
Jesus will not return until the rebellion occurs, and the man of lawlessness appears. He will set himself up in the temple proclaiming himself to be God, but Jesus will return to destroy him. (2 Thess 2).
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
When you see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation spoken of through the prophet Daniel — let the reader understand — ” (Mat 24v14-15).
The instruction is to flee. It is a scattering event, like when Jesus was arrested and the disciples fled from the garden of Gethsemane (Mat 26v56). So again, “The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy”, Rev 19v10b.
The hour of death always was, still is and will continue be an abomination that causes desolation for each and every one of us. It is the greatest time of suffering ever since there was a nation, and never to be equaled again — until Jesus returns at the resurrection, and death is forever destroyed.
The final generation will live to see a decree issued by the Antichrist at the very end of the age. There will be a great tribulation, but our Messiah will come and save us. We all get to experience death and resurrection except for a few courageous ones who by God’s grace manage to live right through the great tribulation, and survive to see Him coming on the clouds of heaven.
Is there a pre-tribulation rapture?
True prophecy is revealed in the life of Jesus, so lets consider his life:
Yes, Jesus had a pre-tribulation rapture, but it was as a baby when he escaped the dragon, King Herod — Rev 12v5.
The Spiritual rapture is by being born again. Believers are “raised up with Christ and seated with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” — Eph 2v6
We can also expect an apocalyptic rapture to occur with the birth of the final generation. I believe it is God’s will for us to escape the birth pains of world war three. This will involve a rapture, but as baby Jesus lived it — a horizontal rapture to escape King Herod, and ‘Out of Egypt I called my son’. This was a kind of Exodus, a symbolic act of repentance.
We will need to make an exodus from the cities prior to nuclear war, also a symbolic act of repentance, a kind of birth when the journey of the final generation begins, because war is NOT the end (Mat 24v6).
The key prophecy regarding world war three is Daniel 11v36-44.
If you haven’t seen it yet please be sure to check it out. This is especially important for 2023 and 2024.
After this war which is viewed as a moment of birth, an awakening, a time of revival for the final generation, a good life and powerful ministry will begin, and will continue for a long time until…..
The End
The end will come a lifetime later, and at that time a greater battle is fought, and a greater victory is won — over sin and death at the great tribulation which will be a moment of the cross. When that time comes, by Gods’ Spirit we will be strengthened take up our cross and follow him.
Jesus died and rose again, and then he ascended into glory — post tribulation. Thanks to Jesus we shall receive perfection and immortality when that time comes.
At the very end of Daniel’s life Cyrus issued a decree that God’s people may all go home. Daniel was was thrown into the lion’s den, and he rose up from there unharmed. This represents death and resurrection.
Then a little while later the whole nation of Israel experienced a similar event when a decree was issued by another Persian king ordering the destruction of all God’s people on a given day. But that battle became their greatest victory.
It is written about in the book of Esther. Purim is still celebrated every year by Jews. Armageddon will involve great suffering but will become a great victory for us who believe and follow Jesus.
The Rahab dragon will be destroyed in the battle of Armageddon.
What about the Millennium?
If I understand it correctly, and to be consistent with this way of thinking, we who believe in Jesus and walk with Him in faith are living victorious lives already, spiritually.
The Millennium is now — amillennialism
Paul said, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.” — 2 Cor 6v2
This day of salvation, the millennial day of salvation was for Adam was almost literally a thousand years, or 930 to be precise (Gen 5v5). That’s only 70 years short of a millennium. For God had said, “In the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” — Gen 2v17. And for God a day is like a thousand years (2 Pet 3v8, Ps 90v4).
So given that Adam died 70 years short of a thousand years day, and given the chiastic structure of salvation history we may have about 70 left for the final generation to complete the six day working week of creation, or six thousand years of salvation history.
The millennial blessings listed in Revelation 20 are the same as what we now have in Christ:
Revelation 20v1-6
And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
Satan is bound for a thousand years (v2)
John 12v31
“Now is the time for judgement on this world; now the prince of this world [Satan] will be driven out.”
Col 2v15
“having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
The binding of the dragon does not represent his removal from this world any more than Christians can claim to have come out of this world on becoming believers. Both Satan and the Church are still here in this world, but we are “separated”. God's people are “Holy”, and He protects His children from being devoured by the dragon until that final hour comes — death and resurrection.
The Dragon and his demons were bound by the victory Jesus won at the cross so that in any age (whether most ancient or modern), while the Gospel is preached according to the light revealed, the Kingdom of God may advance.
Here is some evidence that Satan is currently bound:
In Luke 8, when the Legion of demons who possessed a man saw Jesus, they begged Him not to send them into the Abyss. So Jesus sent them into a herd of pigs, and the pigs ran down a steep bank into the lake and were drowned (Luke 8v30-33).
Jesus set many people free from demons, and the disciples had this same power. After Jesus sent out the 72 to preach that the Kingdom of God was near, they came back rejoicing that “even the demons submit to us in your name” Luke 10v17b. Jesus said,
Luke 10v18
“I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority... to overcome all the power of the enemy”Luke 11v20 “if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.”
Since Jesus defeated the dragon we can pray the Lord's prayer,
“your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven... deliver us from the evil one.” - Mat 6v10 & 13.
We can pray this prayer in the faith and with the expectation that God answers this prayer. While the evil one is being held back we experience real kingdom power of heavenly origin.
Luke 22v29
“And I confer on you a kingdom...”
They came to life and reigned with Christ (v4)
We reign with Christ. In all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (Rom 8v37).
We are a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Rev 5v10, Ex 19v6).
We already have the first resurrection. “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” — Eph 2v6
This is the millennial kingdom described in Revelation 20, which is only made possible by Satan's defeat at the cross of Christ. If we are looking for a physical earthly kingdom we are mistaken. Jesus specifically said not to look for such a thing because His kingdom is not of this world.
Luke 17v20b-21
“The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you.”
Believers and followers of Jesus are living and reigning today, not literally in the ultimate eternal kingdom of heaven because that is still to come. Satan still makes his presence felt, however thanks to Jesus' work at the cross to bind up the strong man, and to set sinners free, we are currently living and reigning with Christ.
Rom 5v17b
“...those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.”
We live and reign as a kingdom of priests in God's millennial earthly kingdom, and it is for this purpose that the dragon has been chained up. We have “the first resurrection” - we are born again. We have come to life and we reign.
Revelation 20v4b-6
“They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”
We serve as priests of God today, (Rev 20v6). This is why the dragon was bound.
Rev 5v10 ESV
“You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
1 Peter 2v5
“you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 2v9
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
Rev 1v5b-6
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
We have the first resurrection today, as part of the millennial kingdom thanks to Satan's defeat at the cross. We have died to sin and are born again. Our first death and rebirth is spiritual. Our second death will be physical but will have no power over us. When Jesus comes again we will experience the second resurrection.
Revelation 20v4b-6
“They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them”
John 5v24-25
“whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.”
(The first resurrection - John 5v24-27 / Second resurrection - John 5v28-29)
Col 3v1a & 3
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ set your hearts on things above... For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”
Eph 2v1-2a, 4-6
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air...
(v4)But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.
When interpreted in the Spiritual sense, coming to faith in Jesus and being “born again” is to share in the story of Jesus himself as described by the birth of God’s child in Revelation 12.
Revelation 12v4b-5
“The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.”
When we were made alive in Christ the dragon appeared wanting to devour us, but we were snatched up to God's throne spiritually speaking, and the dragon defeated. Ephesians 2 and Revelation 12v1-5 are describing the same thing, but prophecy remains to be fulfilled yet again with one final great drama in the last days.
Before Jesus returns at the end of the millennium the dragon will be let loose again, as described in Revelation 12 and 20. The dragon will escape from the Abyss for a short time during the lifetime of the final generation, but we are cared for, and protected.
Believers and followers of Jesus are the two olive trees or two lamp stands of Revelation 11. The beast who will appear in the last days, who comes up out of the Abyss will not be able to put out those lights until we have finished our testimony, (Rev 11v7).
1 Pet 1v5
“through faith (we) are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”
The dragon has been bound, kept in the Abyss for a thousand years so that God's kingdom may advance. But when the thousand years is over the dragon will be set free for a short time (Rev 20v3, 7). There are reasons to believe that this “short time” will be the typological 40, 50 or 70 year period referred to in Scripture. It will be for the lifetime of the 'fig tree' generation described in Mat 24v32-34.
In Summary:
The dragon was bound in the Abyss for a thousand years (or now nearly two thousand years). His defeat was by the power of Jesus' death and resurrection. But his defeat isn't yet final. Scripture warns that the dragon will be released again for a little while.
We now observe a remarkable pattern in the eclipses that focuses on 2015, and is full of meaning. On examining the circumstance and cause of this pattern we understand that God has given us a sign. The message is that the dragon has now appeared. The eclipse reversal appears to signal: God's dragon has appeared at the time of the end.
We have already completed a thousand years of reigning with Christ, but not quite two thousand years. If world war three happens when expected sometime around 2023, 2024, or maybe 2025, that will be about 7 years prior to us completing another millennium, assuming the birth of the church was around the year 30AD. Interesting.
We understand world war three to be a birth, not the end, so lets consider the whole testimony of the final generation of believers. It will be the same as any person’s testimony if they are in Christ.
“The Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” — Rev 19v10
We escape the power of the dragon at that moment of birth (symbolically WW3), but the dragon still lives. The difference is that we begin living for the Kingdom of God instead of for the flesh as we did previously.
If the dragon is released during world war three, it is no threat to those who are in Christ Jesus. Physically we are still in this world, but spiritually we reign with Christ, seated with him in the heavenly realms. So while Satan’s power increases, God also empowers his people.
The serpent becomes the staff of Moses (Exodus 4v4) because he is ‘God’s Dragon’ as is the suggestion of the Eclipse Reversal.
Our power is primarily spiritual. We are the humble people of God in this world. However even in this world we are blessed, even while the beast rules.
Joseph was second in charge of Egypt under Pharoah, Daniel second in charge of Babylon, and Esther second in charge of Persia. So God’s people sometimes reign literally to some degree even in this life, during the ‘millennial day of salvation’. However persecution is the norm, so our millennial reign is really in spirit and in truth.
We train for battle because we know that the great and glorious day of the Lord is coming.
The End
Jesus fought the greatest battle and won the greatest victory at the cross. He calls us to take up our cross and to follow him.
At the end of the millennium the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet will surround the city of God’s people to wage war. This will be the battle of Armageddon, and the victory will belong to Jesus.
The man of lawlessness will set himself up in the temple to bring the final abomination that causes desolation. This is the greatest suffering ever since there was a nation, and never to be equaled again, and relates to death, but he will be destroyed by the breath of his mouth on the day that Jesus returns.
In Daniel 7 the little horn that attacks the saints will be defeated when the Ancient of Days comes, and pronounces judgement in favour of the saints of the Most Hight, and the time comes when they shall possess the kingdom. (Dan 7v21-22).
Jesus wins, and we are in him.
